Detroit Tigers relief pitcher Jose Valverde, left, passes manager Jim Leyland as he leaves the game in the ninth inning of Game 1 of the American League championship series against the New York Yankees Saturday, Oct. 13, 2012, in New York. (AP Photo/Paul Sancya )

Detroit Tigers relief pitcher Jose Valverde is seen in the dugout before a baseball game against the Minnesota Twins at Comerica Park in Detroit, Sunday, Sept. 23, 2012. (AP Photo/Carlos Osorio)

DETROIT -- As the saying goes, when one door opens, another closes.

Considering the spring training struggles encountered by rookie Bruce Rondon in his effort to close the door on the competition to become the next closer for the Detroit Tigers, it's no shock that the door to that job remains swinging wide open.

Be that as it may, the door remains closed on any likelihood of Jose Valverde returning to the franchise to reclaim his old job.

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For all that he's been vocally supportive of his former closer, and contrary to rumors over the weekend, Tigers manager Jim Leyland slammed that particular door shut on Monday.

"Well, first of all, I don't know who started that (rumor)," Leyland said on CBS Sports Radio Network's 'TBD in the A.M.' show. "I think people got excited when I said something about (being) totally surprised that Jose Valverde didn't have a job. I don't think there's any chance that Jose Valverde is coming back to the Tigers. I never said I wanted Jose Valverde back even though he was terrific for us. We felt like with what happened at the end of the year, it was probably time to move on. We felt like he was probably going to get a multi-year contract at big dollars, and we decided not to go that way. That's not going to happen."

At Monday's pregame press session with the Detroit beat writers, Leyland reiterated that Valverde is "not in the picture, has not been discussed," tweeted the Detroit News' Tom Gage.

That's right in line with everything the organization has said, ever since the very start of the postseason.

At least it's in line with what has come from the top, with GM Dave Dombrowski saying two days after the World Series that the Tigers would not be pursuing Valverde, that his postseason struggles merely cemented the decision.

Leyland's always played it a little softer, hinting that the door might be cracked for a return, noting that it's a shame that nobody has yet picked up the closer who was arguably -- at least statistically -- at the top of the game just two seasons ago.

"I don't know if Dave touched on this, but there could be a chance, when all is said and done, if all of a sudden things fall through the cracks, Valverde might be available at some type of a role," Leyland said the same day he was re-signed to another one-year deal to return as manager in 2013, probably one of the statements that led to the confusion.

"Maybe Dave has totally ruled it out. But I don't think -- I think there's a possibility. You think these guys are just going to go out, and everybody's going to be after them, and will give them what they want, and everybody's happy ever after. It doesn't work that way. There's a lot of times you get a guy late that, for whatever reason, people didn't really go for him like you thought. And you might get him for the price you want, and all of a sudden, you got something."

Teams have not, in fact, been clamoring for the services of Valverde, who had 35 saves in 40 chances with the Tigers last regular season before imploding in the playoffs.

But the Tigers have not made any sort of a move to bring in a closer from outside the organization, going no further than "exploratory" conversations with the offseason's top free-agent closer, Rafael Soriano.

All along, they've said they'd be happy to go to spring training with Rondon as their closer.

"This guy is a talented guy. He's a rare talent," Dombrowski said. "You would not believe the number of clubs that called me about Bruce Rondon to trade him. If I had a choice of any young closer in baseball to give an opportunity to in any organization, it would be him. Now would be ready? I don't know that. But he is that good."

Now, after four spring appearances, it's clear that Rondon is not ready -- at least at the moment. Rondon has allowed three earned runs on five hits and five walks in 3 2/3 innings.

Those struggles are why Leyland told reporters Monday, "We don't have a closer right now," according to Gage.

What they have is much the same as they had five months ago, after Valverde pitched his way out of the job: a bunch of question marks, and no answers.

"We've got a guy by the name of Bruce Rondon who everybody has made a big deal about ... A lot of people wanted to name him the closer before we started spring training-- I've never done that -- but he's struggling right now. He's throwing it hard and they're hitting it hard, and that's what's happening right now, but he has all the equipment to be a closer at one point," Leyland said on 'TBD in the A.M.' Monday morning. "Could it be this year, will it be this year out of spring training? We don't know the answer just yet."

Matthew B. Mowery covers the Tigers for Journal Register Company. Email him at matt.mowery@oakpress.com and follow him on Twitter @matthewbmowery.